The students in the training ground clearing froze mid-conversation when a faint, deep thud rolled through the forest. The ground trembled slightly beneath their feet, sending ripples through the grass and dirt. Another thud followed, heavier this time. A few birds perched in the nearby trees shrieked and took off into the sky, scattering like white petals against the midday light.
"Did you hear that?" one of the students whispered, her voice trembling.
A murmur spread quickly across the clearing. The sound came again—steady, rhythmic, like something massive was walking closer. Each impact carried a faint vibration through the soil, enough to make their boots shift slightly in the dirt.
"It... it sounds like footsteps," another said, clutching his broom tightly. "But they're too heavy to be human."
